1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to food service devices and more particularly pertains to a food service tray which may be employed by an individual to hold food for ingestion generally in the absence of conventional tables as is frequently found in an outing scenario.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of substantially portable food service tables and trays is known in the prior art. More specifically, food service trays heretofore devised and utilized for individual food service are known to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which have been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements.
The present invention is directed to improving devices for an food service tray in a manner which is safe, secure, economical and aesthetically pleasing.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,693,555 to Holtzmann discloses a foldable service table including a platform having three stops to hold various food containers firmly in place and being supported by pivotally mounted U-shaped frames which are folded for storage. The present invention comprises a platelike member held in the hand or placed flat upon another object and has no provision or requirement for firmly holding a food container, rather ridges and depressions are disposed therein to prevent food containers from sliding from the tray body. There is no requirement for leg members or support frames in the present invention.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,972,781 to Montgomery et al. a foldable tray table is disclosed. The Montgomery et al. invention comprises a substantially rectangular table top supported by two pairs of pivotally disposed legs. The Montgomery et al. table top has one or more through holes disposed therein for the purpose of holding beverages or a book. The present invention comprises a hand held tray designed to bold a beverage container, plate, napkin, and plasticware. The present invention has no provision for and requires no legs, and has no through holes for holding beverages or other items.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,875,873 to Howitt a table is described wherein said table has removable legs which are storable with a table top and the table has provisions for organizing food containers disposed thereon. The present invention has no legs nor are legs required for use.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,851,599 to Bridges a table for use with disposable meal service elements is disclosed for storing and presenting for use disposable meal service elements such as plastic plates, knives, spoons, and forks, and furthermore foodstuffs are presented therein being disposed upon a rotatable food holder. A disadvantage in this prior art lies in a lack of portability and individual use. The present invention is portable and holds only individual servings for immediate consumption and has no provision or requirement for storage of quantities of foodstuff or disposable meal service elements.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,244,125 to Mackey an auto date tray for providing meal service for one or two individuals wherein said auto date tray is compartmented for organizing and holding foodstuffs and has pivotally disposed legs of unequal length affixed to an underside therein, and furthermore, when operationally disposed, is generally placed upon a somewhat sloping substantially planar seat of an automobile for use by the occupants. The present invention is hand held and is designed to hold food service for an individual and has no pivotally deployed legs for the purpose of engaging an automobile seat.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,649,423 to Wilton et al. discloses a decorative food and beverage serving means. The disclosure teaches a food and beverage serving means such as a table, bar counter and similar items having medallion-like members disposed therein to indicate service areas. The disclosure makes no provision for portability of individual servings of foodstuffs and related utensils. Furthermore, there are no provisions for manually holding an arrangement of foodstuffs for immediate consumption. There is no teaching to enable use of the Wilton et al. invention on outings, picnics, and casual outdoor camping situations. The present invention comprises a hand held tray having disposed thereon individual service for the purpose of holding foodstuffs for immediate consumption.
In this respect, the food service tray according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of serving individual meals.
Therefore, it can be appreciated that there exists a continuing need for a new and improved food service tray which can be readily transported and used in indoor and outdoor meal serving situations. In this regard, the present invention substantially fulfills this need.
As illustrated by the background art, efforts are continuously being made in an attempt to improve food service tables and trays. No prior effort, however, provides the benefits attendant with the present invention. Additionally, the prior patents and commercial techniques do not suggest the present inventive combination of component elements arranged and configured as disclosed and claimed herein.
The present invention achieves its intended purposes, objects, and advantages through a new, useful and unobvious combination of method steps and component elements, with the use of a minimum number of functioning parts, at a reasonable cost to manufacture, and by employing only readily available materials.